World Obesity Day: Julia Hartley-Brewer says ‘We all have a choice’

talkRADIO's Julia Hartley-Brewer has challenged an obesity campaigner over the assertion that the condition is a “shared responsibility”.

The breakfast show host came to blows with the CEO of the World Obesity Federation Johanna Ralston this morning while discussing World Obesity Day, which falls today.

Ms Ralston said the reason behind the dedicated day was to “draw attention to the challenge and find solutions together, recognise it doesn't fit in any single sector and that we all have a role to play”.

But Julia argued that, rather than a collective problem, it was down to the overweight individuals who are “fundamentally making choices”.

“When you talk about people not having options, everyone has the option not to put more unhealthy food in their mouth.”

She questioned: “Are we not taking away a level of personal responsibility from people from the ownership of what they put on the fork that goes into their gob?”

Ms Ralston hit back that personal responsibility “plays a role when the options are healthy” but maintained that “many, many people”, particularly those on low incomes, do not have healthy options.

Julia disagreed, saying: “I’ve been to a lot of places around the world and around Briaina and some of the very poorest parts of inner citieis in this country and there are still vegetables and fruit in the supermarket aisles.

“The reality is we all have a choice everyday about what we put in our mouths.”

She concluded: “There is nobody in this country at all who cannot buy healthy food and who cannot stop putting unhealthy food into their mouths.”